


Sollicitudo

by frozenCinders



Category: Sengoku Basara
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-18
Updated: 2014-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-12 23:49:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1205038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frozenCinders/pseuds/frozenCinders
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To Mitsunari, the feeling of "worry" is foreign. With Hanbei, he experiences it a lot more than he had ever wanted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sollicitudo

Mitsunari hadn’t intended not to announce himself, he was honestly planning on fully opening the door, but found himself frozen and speechless, for better or worse, at what he saw. He had expected Hanbei to flex his back and perhaps turn his head and reveal a smile, as if he knew Mitsunari was there, but the shirtless strategist only sat on his futon, back slightly hunched and arms around himself. He shook slightly and his hand went to his mouth as he tried not to cough. He only gave in when the itch in his throat and pain in his chest overwhelmed him.

Gripping the door firmly, Mitsunari knew better than to burst in and attempt to comfort his lord Hanbei. When he had seen a small group of soldiers approach Hanbei the last time he started coughing in a hallway, the man looked livid. He had forcefully calmed himself before he turned to tell his men he was fine, but the look on his face had burned itself into Mitsunari’s eyelids, filling him with worry like he had never felt before.

Hanbei made a strange sound as he neared the end of his coughing fit, going completely silent once it was done. Mitsunari felt a wave of anxiety wash over him as he started to run into the room, but Hanbei quickly held out an ungloved hand to stop him. Mitsunari knew he had only removed it just then to save him the sight of the blood stained hand of one of the men he revered so much. It was several long moments before Hanbei trusted himself to speak.

"What do you need, Mitsunari?"

That was it. No sarcasm, no sugar coating, no teasing, no scolding, nothing. Mitsunari’s frown, which he hadn’t even noticed he was wearing, deepened as he struggled to find his words. He absolutely noticed that Hanbei wouldn’t look at him.

"L… our lord Hideyoshi told me to… ensure you get some rest." Mitsunari mentally cursed at himself. Unforgivable, how shameful he was. How he couldn’t even speak clearly, how he couldn’t say his words the way he wanted to, worried with matters that must hardly concern him if nobody had asked any help of him. He watched Hanbei’s form move in the dim light, assuming he took his other glove off.

"Please tell lord Hideyoshi that I will indulge him with a short rest," he said, voice steadier than Mitsunari had expected. It relieved him to no end. The fox bowed, cursing at himself again as he realized Hanbei still hadn’t turned around to even see it. He quickly straightened himself and hesitated to speak, face turning red from anger and shame as he failed to achieve something so simple as talking.

"Understood, my si- lord, sir," Mitsunari stuttered, the heat of his face starting to make him sweat. When he looked closely, Hanbei’s head  _was_  turned, and he was smiling just slightly. It eased Mitsunari’s nerves and he found himself able to bow again and leave with whatever small shred of dignity he had left. He tensed once outside the door, however, when he heard Hanbei go into another coughing fit.


End file.
